Antiskid tire-chain.



W. GRIES. ANTlSKID TIRE CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2.19H.

Par/61m 1m. 5,1916.

. .1 c m z IT a 1,207,540. Y Application filed Novemher 12, 1914; Serial No. 871,773.

WIIQ IJI AM crime, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

nn'risxm stun-onion.

To all whom it mai com-cm.

Be it known that-I, TILLTAM Gums, a

citizen of-the United States, residing at Ncworlginthe county of Essex and State .of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antiskid Tire- C-hains; of which the following 1s fication.

This invention relates tothe subject. of

anti-skidding devices for automobile tires and has special reference to a novel necessory of this character of the chain type.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an anti-skid chain attachment for wheels which may be readily and conveniently applied and having the several units thereof so arranged and mounted that each unit is free to adapt or adjust itself to. the varying trn ctive conditions imposed thereon.

'In this connection, the invention has-speciolly in view a tirechain construction wherein each treadchain unit possesses on individuality inthe particular of having an independent mounting so that the: movement thereof when adapting itself to the traction will not be communicated to theother unitsso as to create a. disturbance inthe general operative positions thereof. At the same time, it'is the purposeot the-invention to provide a common flexible; retaining means for alljof the tread chain units whereby the.

same will be held with security upon the wheel and always in theilfiproper relative positions. v

A further object of 'the invent-ion is to provide a novel tire chain. construction wherein anyone of the tread chain units may' be readily removed and rep'loccd,'a1nl the number of such units multiplied to any extent desired according .to the degree of traction required.

A more general object ,of the invention to provide an anti-skidchain' attachment which shall be simple, strong, and durable and at the same time economically manufactu red an d repai red. 7

With the aboveand other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature .of the invention is better understood, the

same'consists in the novel. construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter-more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of Sgieeilitation of Letters Potent.

a speci Patented Dec. .5, 1916.

the invention is illustrated in the acco1npanyingdrawings, in which on' the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing in cletail one of the tread chain units. Fig. '3

- is '2. view similar to Fig.1,showing a modified. form of the' attachment. Fig. 4 is a view siniilar'to Fig. 2 showing the modified tread chain more clearly;

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The essential features of the present invention which are fundamental to the successful operation thereof may be'embodied in different forms of construction, so for illustrative purposes there. are shown in the drawingsdifferent forms of the improved.

The primary form tire chain attachment. of. the 1I 1V(5Ilt1011' 1s lllustrated in Figs. 1

and 2. of the drawings, and referring first c to that embodiment of the invention, it will he noted by reference to these figures that the-chain attachment includes-.111 lt's organizetionany desired number "of tread-chain units that are adapted to be loosely engaged with and about the tire 1 o-fn wheel 9-. Each of these units consists of a stout chain of suitable length, and the links of which chain -arefreely and loosely interlocked in the manner of an ordinary chain. chain or chain length 3 carries at one end thereof a relatively large noose ring. 4 through which the chain 18 loosely strung :so as to provide an adjustable tire noose 5 wh-1ch is adapted to be looped about the- .t1re 1. The otherend of the tread chain or This tread chain length 3 carricsn relatively smaller Y retaiinng "ring: '6 which inn-y be passed through the ring 4, and which is adapted to loosely and slidahly receive a floatingflexible retaining or holding chain 7 which is common to all of the tread chain units and the ends of which are'coiinectcd to gether by an adjustable fastening device 8;

f any suitable character, such ,as a turn-. bnclcle or its equivalent. Such equivalent form is shown in F19} '1 of'the'drowmgs as consisting of a link attached to the chaincnds by means of bolts 9. This chain 7 not only holds the tread chains 8 in proper spaced relation but at the some time draws loo formed a noose about the tire.

the housed chain lengths 4 about the tread and telly in such a mil-liner that the loops are maintained in a substantially taut condition thereby preventing any iuinccessary looscntss.

It may be further noted in connection with the flexiblen'etaining or holding-chain 7 which goes through the rings 6, that the same provides for maintaining the tread chain units in their relative position regardless of the fact that any one of them maytcn'iporarily become slack for one reason or another, and furthermore, insures against any one of the chains becoming accidentally disconnected from this cause.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and l'the tread chain units each comprise a chain length 10 similar to chains 3, but in the present instance both ends of the tread chains are connected with the common flexihle retaining chain 7, whereas in the other form only one end is connected with .this element while the other holds a ring for formins a chain noose or loop. That is to say each chain length 10 of the modified con struction is provided at one end with a retaining ring ll and at a suitable distance therefrom is also provided with an intermediate coupling, ring 12 which holds a noose ring 13, while the other end has afiixed thereto a second retaining ring 14. In this case, as in the other, the said ringld is of such a diameter that it may pass freely through the noose rinf 13 so that both retaining rings 11 andil l may receive the common flexible retaining chain 7, after the chain length has This modified construction reinforces and increases the durability at the device, and at the same time. not 01 1' naterially aids in maintaining the indivi d a. tread chains units in their relative position around the tread but also tends to keep the slip joint formed by the rings 12 and 13 from working to the inside of the wheel, because the portion of the chain between the rings 11 and 12 is always maintained in a taut condition. Furthermore, this arrangement prevents the noose from becoming so tight about the tread that it will cut into the tire, as may happen when vthe chain is so tight that it cannot move slightly during the rotation of the wheel.

From the foregoing description it is be lieved to be apparent that the present invention has many advanta 'cs over the type of tire chain that merely ts about the tire loosely and has no central tightening and holding element, and which is rendered practioally useless by the breaking of one of the tread chains. The trend chains 3 of the pres ent invention are readily removable and replaceable as individual units and therefore present a practical and efficient tire accessory that is durable and easily kept in good condition. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the tread chain units and common flexible locking chains cooperate to provide elements of the same character. That is, the tread chain units are each individually adjustable and are held in position by an'adjustablc locking chain, which in the act of its own ad justmcntdraws the noose of each unit taut,

It is thought that many other features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent without further-description, and

it will of-coursc be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An anti-skid tire chain comprising a common flexible retaining chain, a plurality of tread chain units adapted to form a moose and each having a retaining ring at each end, and an intermediate noose ring for recciving one of said retaining rings, said common flexible reta'iningchairi adapted to pass through the retaining rings' of each chain unit for holding the same in place.

2. An anti-skid tire chain comprising a conunon flexible retaining chain, and a plurality of individual tread chain units each adapted to form a noose, retaining rings at the ends of each of said tread chain units, an intermediate coupling ring, and a noose ring linked with'said' coupling ring for re ceiving one of said retaining rings, said common flexible retaining chain adapted to pass through the retaining rings of each chain unit for holding the same'in place.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature ,in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM GRTES.

Witnesses:

Eamis'r M. Tarnna, Faunx. G. Honzwoirrir. 

